Protective shoulder pads are worn by players in a number of contact sports, such as football, hockey, and lacrosse. Because of the physical nature of such sports, it is important for the protective gear to fit the players with the protective padding aligned with the intended areas on the players' bodies. Misaligned protective gear could jeopardize a player's safety. It is also important for the protective gear to fit comfortably. An uncomfortable fit could hinder a player's performance.
Athletes of all shapes and sizes are expected to wear essentially the same protective gear in many contact sports leagues. Conventional shoulder pads typically include a lace-up closure in the front, which can be loosened or tightened to accommodate a player's chest size. However, the adjustability of the lace-up closure does not address height differences among players. Consequently, shoulder pads that include merely a lace-up closure in the front may tend to “ride up” on taller players. Furthermore, the process of donning lace-up shoulder pads is time-consuming, and simply adjusting lace-up shoulder pads is time-consuming as well.
It would thus be desirable to provide a protective shoulder pad assembly that can be adjusted to fit athletes in a wide range of both height and girth. In doing so, it would also be desirable to provide a protective shoulder pad assembly that can be adjusted quickly and easily.